A Los Angeles judge has temporarily banned all renovations and upgrades in Beverly Hills over the city's lack of affordable housing.
In a ruling issued in late December, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Curtis A. Kin has placed a temporary ban on Beverly Hills' ability to issue new building permits in the area after he alleged that the city failed to follow state laws requiring the approval of a plan to build housing for low- and middle-income households, per Fox Business.
The ban now prohibits the city from issuing permits for residential renovations, commercial developments, or any other construction project. However, it may still move forward with any new residential developments.
The ban comes after the affordable housing advocate group Californians for Homeownership filed a lawsuit against Beverly Hills in 2021, accusing the city of being two years late coming up with an acceptable affordable housing plan.
In September last year, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge found that Beverly Hills had not complied with its legal duty to plan for affordable housing under the regional housing needs allocation and housing element system.
For context, Beverly Hills was required to submit a plan to Sacramento for 3,000 new affordable housing units. The city had submitted four proposals, all of which were rejected by the state of California.
How Did the City of Beverly Hills Respond?
Over the last eight years, the city has only added about 20 affordable housing units. Thomas White, chair of the Municipal League of Beverly Hills, argued that the city is full and adding new housing units would hurt its character.
"We have intentionally created a desirable environment by deliberately avoiding overdevelopment and over-densification," White told the Los Angeles Times.
In a written statement, the Beverly Hills city attorney said they will continue to issue construction permits while it appeals the judge's decision.
"Our goal has always been and continues to be a certified housing element, as required by state law," the statement said. "The City has provided comprehensive information to HCD (California Housing and Community Development Department) demonstrating our commitment to diverse housing options in Beverly Hills now and in the future."
